He’s Truly Risen!

Homily for the Second Sunday of Easter, Year C (Divine Mercy Sunday)

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, April 3, 2016

The Resurrection of Jesus is not a hoax. It is not a figment of imagination of his disciples. It is not a creation of the Early Church. It is not a fairytale or a parable. It did happen! The crucified Savior of humanity indeed rose from the grave. He conquered death with his death. The chief priests tried to undermine his resurrection by offering monetary bribes to the guards who also witnessed it and urging them to say that “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep” (Matthew 28:13). But their lie and plot did not prevent Jesus from appearing to his disciples severally in order to remove any shadow of doubt from their minds about his Resurrection.

In the Gospel of John 20:19-31, John sets out to establish the reality of the Lord’s resurrection by paying a close attention to the physical details that assert and reinforce its authenticity. Having seen what the Jews had done to their Master, the disciples, out of fear, locked themselves up in a room for safety reasons. But despite the locked doors, Jesus appeared to them and offered them physical evidence that showed that his Resurrection is more than a spiritual reality. They will no longer believe that he is risen and alive only from the account of Mary Magdalene, but also from their own experience of it. After accomplishing his first mission, which is, to show himself to his brothers, his disciples, he then breathed on them just as God first breathed on Adam, thereby initiating a new order, a new creation of which his disciples will be the messengers. But before he breathed on them, he offered them his peace, because the new life he is offering must be lived and shared in peace. And in this new creation, his disciples are to be bearers of God’s endless mercy: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sin you retain are retained” (John 20:22-23). 

When this event took place, Thomas was not around. Upon his return, the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). But like many people in the world today, he refused to believe their testimony. He gave conditions that must be met before he accepts: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25b). For a whole week, Thomas lived with the other disciples, yet refused to yield to their testimony. Then Jesus showed up again. Like his first visit, the doors were also locked. He stood in their midst and greeted them again, “Peace be with you” (John 20:26b). He quickly turned his attention to Thomas and said to him, “Put your finger here and see my hands, bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believe” (John 20:27). We were not told if Thomas actually touched his hands or side, but he did immediately yield when he saw what others saw a week ago and then made a bold declaration of faith, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) 

This event has given Thomas a bad name. We usually refer to those who doubt our story, “Doubting Thomas,” without any recollection of his big and bold leap of faith. He called Jesus “My God.” Before now, the disciples had called Jesus “Lord,” “Master” and “Teacher.” But after his initial doubt, Thomas declared that Jesus is not only his Lord, but also his God. When Jesus, in another occasion, asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Peter’s declaration, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16) was huge. But Thomas’ assertion was even a greater deal. His declaration of the identity of Jesus went beyond that of Peter. God surely can write even in crooked lines. He’s an expert at bringing good out of bad. The Gospel did not record the reaction of Jesus at being regarded as God by Thomas. But I believe that he must have been thrilled by Thomas’ leap and profession of faith. But then, Jesus looked beyond Thomas to generations that will believe without seeing, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen me and have believed” (John 20:29). 

Sisters and brothers, as we revel in the Resurrection of our Lord, let’s not forget that today is also Divine Mercy Sunday. Everything that Jesus accomplished for us can be summarized in one word, “Mercy.” He was motivated by mercy. After his resurrection, he could have quietly ascended to heaven. But he severally appeared to his disciples to convince them that he is risen to die no more, so that by believing in his name, they will partake in his divine life. God’s mercy is God’s healing balm on the wounds of humanity, and part of that wound are unbelief and faithlessness. God does not want us to wallow in ignorance. Through the mouth of prophet Hosea, he had said, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Ignorance of God is ignorance of the path of life. Due to God’s mercy, Jesus came to connect us with God with each other. Mercy is what drove him to do all that he did. All the miracles, signs, and his appearances to his disciples were done so that we may come to believe that he is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief we may have life in his name (John 20:30-31). The Gospel account of the Resurrection of Jesus was not written down to resolve disputes, disagreements or debates. It was not written to satisfy the enquiry of science. It was not meant to conform with our modern way of writing or thinking, or coerce people to believe, but to give life in his name. By believing in him even when we have not yet seen him, we will have a new life. The Gospel was written so that faith in  Jesus might become the bedrock, the foundation and pillar of our collective and individual faith. And the Lord has already assured us that those who will believe in him even when they have not seen are blessed.